Do old-fashioned toy stores still exist?

Owner of Geppetto’s Toys finds joy in his job even in busiest time of the year

At Geppetto's Toy Store in Fashion Valley, owner Brian Miller is getting ready, stocking the shelves for what he hopes is a good holiday shopping season. There are countless new toys and stuffed animals for this year's good little boys and girls.
— Peggy Peattie

At Geppetto's Toy Store in Fashion Valley, owner Brian Miller is getting ready, stocking the shelves for what he hopes is a good holiday shopping season. There are countless new toys and stuffed animals for this year's good little boys and girls.
— Peggy Peattie

Toy shopping tips

Know what kids like and deviating just a little to introduce them to something new or different.

Always stick with age-recommended toys, there is nothing worse than a frustrated child, he said.

Consider the safety of a toy for small children who might want to eat toys.

Value the experience a child will have with the toy versus the outcome, for instance the fun of making an art piece versus how it will turn out.

Brian Miller spends his days playing with toys, talking with pint-sized customers about their favorite playthings and can often be found restocking shelves in the wee hours of the morning.

The owner of Geppetto's Toys — posing as Santa’s secret elf — visits four of the chain’s eight stores daily, located across the county from Chula Vista to Carlsbad.

Fortunately for his family, Miller keeps up this pace only during the weeks leading up to Christmas. He fills in where needed from gift wrapping to taking special orders.

“You have to make hay when the sun shines,” he said. “Toys are fun. I feel lucky because I get up and I love going to work.”

Geppetto’s Toys is one of the largest regional toy chains in the U.S. and tallies 40 percent of its annual sales during the last two months of the year.

Miller's foray into toys happened almost by accident.

Years ago, Miller’s parents owned an antique and gift store at the Hotel del Coronado along with a toy store called Children’s World. When Miller’s father died in 1992, he returned from the East Coast to help his mother go through their affairs.

He did not intend to stay in his hometown but San Diego and the toy business lured him back. Miller, who had worked in retail, began to review his parents stores.

“I thought I would grow the antique business but the toys felt fun. I made immediate changes and saw the business double. It was thrilling,” Miller said.

A year later, in 1993, he purchased Geppetto’s Toys in Old Town from his childhood neighbor.

Since then, Miller has opened seven more locations and will launch two more next year. He is also finalizing a licensing agreement for a store in the Dallas airport.

Each of the San Diego County stores has been thoroughly planned out from location to foot traffic to design by Miller, who says it is one of the challenges he enjoys most. New stores will be at Westfield UTC and another still undisclosed location.

Geppetto’s has experienced growth every year since Miller founded it, from as little as 1 percent during the recession to double-digit figures. The independent nature of the store has helped it maintain success even during hard years when other toy retailers were closing up shop.